A Place to Feel Safe
by Procrastinating Timelord
Summary: Rachel didn't know what she was doing. It seemed that everything that was once safe suddenly appeared to be not as comforting as they once seemed. Maybe it was her best option to go to the one door in New York City that was a risky bet. Maybe there was comfort in the arms of the one she hurt. AU for Abusive Finn.


_**Jesse stayed out of the picture, but that doesn't mean he wasnt behind the scenes.**_

 _ **I feel like Jesse gets a bad rap a lot. There are not many stories of Jesse saving Rachel. Usually, there are stories of Rachel being abused by Jesse, but not today Glee fandom, not today.,**_

 _ **Fyi I dont hate Finn. I just needed this for the story.**_

 _ **This is a AU for multiple reasons.**_

Rachel didn't know what she was doing.

She looked at her bruised knuckles which overwhelmed the small sparkle of a diamond on her finger.

He came to New York for her, she had to obey.

He gave her this ring, she had to obey.

He gave up his life back home for her, she had to obey.

But, every rule of society said it was wrong.

Frankly, Rachel did not know which way was up anymore. She had been mindlessly drifting through the motions

Running away was not her own concious plan. Maybe it was her subconscious mind trying to protect her, but the safest place to be was right back where she would not anger him.

She felt guilty wanting to sleep peacefully. She felt guilty for wanting to be loved without having the constant threat of being beaten. She didn't know what love was anymore. She only knew it wasn't this.

It's midnight in New York City. Kurt is in LA with Blaine, she has nowhere to go.

There was only one slight chance at a place that would not reject her. There was only one door that might open in all of New York. Would he hit her?

It was her only option, so a bruised and slightly bloodied Rachel Berry crossed the city to get to one apartment.

Catching her breath, she felt safer already. He didn't know where this person lived, or that he lived in New York.

She climbed two flights of stairs before walking down the dimly lit hallway of some semi nice apartments.

As she was about to knock a knot formed in her chest.

"What on earth are you doing Rachel Barbra Berry? Don't bring this here."

"Where else can you go without money or a phone?" She argued with herself

The knot continued to tighten.

Like ripping a bandaid off she knocked on the door hard and loud, wincing at the burning pain in her knuckles.

Now, her heartbeat quickened.

There was no answer for awhile.

"It's Friday night Rachel... probably isnt home" she mumbled to herself

Suddenly the door opened.

"Rachel? What are you.. Oh my god."

When the door opened Rachel was so full of emotion she broke down.

"Can I stay here? Please?"

* * *

 _"Please?"_

Jesse had been asleep after a failed first date earlier tonight. The girl hated broadway and that was a deal breaker for the one that got away was at his door trying to get away from something other than him.

Without asking questions Jesse grabbed gently her arm to pull her inside.

Rachel gave a soft startled yelp.

"Easy, just come in."

"Sorry..."

When the door was closed and double locked Rachel could finally breathe.

Jesse was just trying to process all of this. He closed the door slowly as he gave Rachel the side eye.

This was no normal Jesse St. James side eye, this was the side eye that was trying to understand what he had just witnessed.

"Rachel, what happened." He breathed.

"It's not normal..." she mumbled.

"What's not?"

"For someone to get mad."

Jesse saw where this was headed. He also realized he did not look quite presentable in a navy hoodie and black sport pants, but that was on the back burner for now.

"People get mad all the time, it's what you do to control it that forms the kind of person you are." Jesse answered.

"He hits me." She shakily confessed.

"Who?" He asked curtly, already knowing the answer.

Rachel was barely holding back tears now as she pulled the ring off her finger and placed it on the table quite visibly.

Jess tensed, unconsciously balling his fists.

"I will kick his..."

Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

"Jesse, I just want to stay for tonight, then I will be out of your way."

"Hell no Rachel. You are staying with me, you can't go back." Jesse pleaded with her, he had to change her mind.

"I have to. He will kill you if he knows I'm with you..." she began to hyperventilate.

"Ok, ok, easy Rachel... slow deep breaths."

He placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

His voice was one of the most calming sounds Rachel ever heard. She only could bury her face deeper into his shoulder.

"You're safe here, does he know I live here?"

"I don't think so... I.. I never told him..." she responded breathlessly.

"There's nothing to worry about... just let me call the police..."

Rachel violently shook her head.

"No, no then he will get in trouble."

"Exactly." Jesse snapped back a little harsher than he planned.

"Jesse." Her saddened and exhausted glare broke him to pieces.

"Ok, i'll compromise. We call them in the morning if we think we still should. Tonight I'm going to take care of you, ok?"

He brushed his hand against her shoulder as a comforting gesture and she jumped away from his touch.

Before anything continued it was obvious one thing needed to be established.

"Rachel, look at me."

Reluctantly she pulled her gaze up to his blue eyes.

He gently placed her small, injured and cold hand in his large warm one. He took what he was about to say seriously.

"Rachel Berry, I will not hurt you. You are safe. You need to relax, and let me take care of you. Ok?"

Rachel took a deep breath and nodded.

He sighed with relief. Now he was unsure where to even start.

He figured the bedroom would set a unsettling tone for her, so he kept them in the living room.

He grabbed a wash cloth from the bathroom and did his best to clean off the blood.

There wasn't much, but it was enough to be obvious.

"Rachel, can I check you over to make sure you are ok?"

"Yes, I trust you Jesse." She whispered.

Those words made him relax in his plan a little more.

Tenderly, he scanned her body which was covered in bruises but nothing else.

"Oh god Rachel.…" he thought to himself

"Do you want to get something else to wear?"

She was wearing a light shirt and a skirt possibly from work, but they obviously had been worn quite awhile.

She nodded.

"If it is not too much trouble..."

He gave her a faint smile.

"Not at all."

* * *

He chuckled when the first thing he pulled out of his drawer was a Carmel High sweatshirt.

She probably didnt want that one.

Instead he found a light blue sweatshirt and another pair of sports pants.

Rachel gladly took the clothes. She didn't want to think about how good they smelled, but it was nearly impossible.

Jesse took notice to her left wrist which now had a nasty bruise on it.

Rachel gave a soft laugh. As Jesse returned from the kitchen with an ice pack.

"What's that about?" He asked.

"I got mad at you for breaking an egg on my head..."

Not his finest moment.

"You didn't deserve that, or this or anything bad..."

"I probably deserved the egg... I was a brat..."

"You didn't, I was a ruthless jerk."

"Are you hungry or anything?"

"No, I'm just sore..."

"How about we get you to bed..."

"Jesse..."

"Yes?"

"I don't feel comfortable on the couch... or taking over your bed... but I want to be close to you... can I sleep ton the floor?"

Jesse laughed.

"No, Rachel... to make sure you don't leave, we are going to sleep in the bed together. If you feel safe with me, ok? I Jesse Saint James promise to not try anything." He mockingly raised his hand.

She reluctantly nodded with a slight smile.

Jesse did just that, controlling his urge to beat the life out of Finn.

He was surprised how the moment they laid down she wrapped herself around him. He didn't want to scare her, but he wrapped his arms around her to ensure he would feel her if she tried to leave.

For now he let her rest, she wad safe in his arms. He hoped she always knew that.

Finn had the best girl on the planet and he beat her like a rag doll. Jesse just didn't understand.

* * *

 _"You want to try that again?" Finn screamed._

 _"No, no, i'm so sorry..."_

 _"You will not disrespect me!"_

 _His strike stung her face._

 _"Please, I forgot... I wont forget again..."_

 _"You better not... now you need to make up for your mistake." Finn snarled._

 _Her stomach dropped as he closed the bedroom door._

"Rachel... hey wake up... it's just a dream..."

Rachel flung out of Jesse's grasp.

Jesse sat up and caught her.

"Bad dream... it's a bad dream... go back to sleep." He whispered in her ear.

Her breathing evened out and she relaxed back into his arms.

"Sorry..." a muffled voice called out from the nook of his shoulder.

"it's ok...you're safe..."

"Jesse... you don't have to do this..." she said as she sat back up.

"I know, i'm doing this because I care about you. No one deserves to be hurt like this, especially you Rachel."

"He won't like that." She mumbled lowering her gaze back down to the sheets.

"He doesn't love you for all I care. If he is doing this... he already chose his path."

She pulled herself closer to him.

She had not felt this relaxed in months.

Jesse started to settle down as he wrapped his arms around knew she was with him, and not with Finn. She was safe.

The road ahead would be rocky. But she would be with Jesse, and maybe this was how fate would start to come into play.

 _ **I hope you liked it! I'm considering making it a multi chapter story but I'm not sure yet. :)**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_

 **-LimeRanger**


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